Between the Two of Us
by fluffybuckybear
Summary: Several weeks after Teddy and the others leave, Ahkmenrah struggles with loneliness and the knight who vows to protect him.
1. Chapter One: Where Things Stand

It had only been a couple of weeks since they had left and Ahkmenrah felt a deep sense of emptiness that continued to tear at his heart. He missed them desperately but no amount of wishing could bring him back.

In the nights since their departure, Ahkmenrah wandered and explored the many halls and rooms of his new home. There were many new faces and few familiar ones that all looked on him with interest and seemed rather perplexed over their and his existences. Perhaps, over time Ahkmenrah would make new friends and have new adventures.

The one thing that comforted him (rather oddly one might add due to their first meeting) was Lancelot. Ahkmenrah repeatedly gave him the cold shoulder and tried to give the impression that he despised the knight, but every time their eyes met, Ahkmenrah could feel Lancelot's piercing ice-blue eyes peering into his soul. Could Lancelot read his mind? Ahkmenrah hoped not.

At the moment, at least, Lancelot was too busy to read minds as he was playing with Trixie the Triceratops. Ahkmenrah smiled as he watched the pair play from a distance. He hid from Lancelot's view behind a rather large vase because gods forbid he would let Lancelot know that he was in any way interested in friendship...or perhaps something more? No! Ahkmenrah almost shouted, nearly alerting Lancelot and Trixie of his presence. He did, however, accidentally hit the vase he was hiding behind and Lancelot heard.

"Did you hear that, Trixie?" Lancelot paused and looked around, an eyebrow raised in speculation.

Trixie just shook her giant skull with a heavy rattle and nearly pounced on Lancelot who managed to jump out of the way just before she crushed him.

"Gentle, Trixie," Lancelot said gently and smiled like a parent correcting a small child. "Let's not maim museum exhibits."

Time for me to go… Ahkmenrah started to back out of the room. He quietly snuck through one of the hallways leading back to the Egyptian Wing.

"HEY!"

Suddenly, Ahkmenrah was knocked down and pinned under a heavy metal suit of armor. Lancelot's blue eyes were inches away from his and Ahkmenrah gulped both from nervousness and the air being knocked out of his body.

"Why are you following me? Are you trying to kill me?" Lancelot sound and looked angry but his eyes twinkled playfully.

"N-n-no," Ahkmenrah stuttered.

"Then why do I keep catching watching me and then running away? Scared, small king?"

Ahkmenrah regained some of his composure and croaked angrily, "Get off me! I'm not small and I'm a Pharaoh, not some foot soldier!" Ahkmenrah attempted to push Lancelot away.

"I assure you that I am no foot soldier either; I'm a knight of the round table." Lancelot smiled and remained unmoved. Suddenly, he sighed and began to stand up, pulling Ahkmenrah up with him. "I suppose I should escort you home since you don't seem to know much in the way of self-defense. Something or someone might sneak up and hurt or kill you while you arrogantly walk about this place."

Ahkmenrah rolled his eyes and slipped out of Lancelot's grasp. "Yeah, no thanks. I can take care of myself. Bye!"

He continued through the hallway, but Lancelot refused to leave his side.

"I'm not leaving you, small one," Lancelot laughed. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me until someone else can protect you better than me."

Ahkmenrah didn't respond or attempt to chase him away, but kept a face of kingly sternness although he struggled to calm the butterflies in his stomach as they walked side by side through the halls.


	2. Chapter Two: Dreams

Even in the day, the tablet's magic still has an effect on the museum exhibits, and Ahkmenrah was certainly no exception. Sometimes, he had dreams during the day. Perhaps his soul was traveling beyond his physical remains lying in his sarcophagus. His dreams were a combination of experiences at the museum and his memories of his ancient past life. Little noises and vibrations from right outside his sarcophagus made their way into his dreams, but today's dream was very unusual.

He was a girl in this dream. A girl with a long brown ponytail that swung sassily behind her. She cradled a stack of books in her arms and carried a heavy messenger bag. Ahkmenrah instinctively reached up to the bridge of her nose and pushed up the circular glasses that were slipping down her nose. She stood outside the museum in the bright sunlight. The fresh air was full of enticing aromas from nearby restaurants and the chill of a cool breeze.

Ahkmenrah wanted to stay outside and enjoy the weather and sunlight, but the girl began to walk towards the museum. It was a rather quiet day at the museum; only a few people were seen in main entrance. A perfect day for studying and researching. The girl picked up a museum pamphlet and opened up the map inside. Not the Egyptian Wing, not the Egyptian Wing… Ahkmenrah felt relief when the girl's eyes moved away from the left side of the page. Don't want to see my sarcophagus with me in it today, no thanks. The girl's eyes moved to the middle of the map that read Medieval Warfare. No! Ahkmenrah wanted to scream, but the girl's feet were already in motion. A blur of movement then suddenly he was surrounded sharp weapons and glinting iron.

At the end of the room a familiar blond smiled at him. Well not at him particularly. Just in his general direction. Lancelot was frozen in wax and one can only do so much when one is made of wax and lacks magic.

Someone tapped the girl's shoulder and she spun around to a smiling boy with blond hair tied up in a bun.

The girl said nothing but instead pressed her face against his and Ahkmenrah felt the heat of the blond's skin. Ugh! Stop! Neither the girl or the boy said a word but they held hands and walked into a light that grew steadily brighter leaving Ahkmenrah in the cold and darkness. Wait! Ahkmenrah screamed at the fading figures as the darkness swallowed him whole.


	3. Chapter Three: The Roof

Ahkmenrah thrust open the lid of his sarcophagus and hopped out, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. He needed to take a walk and shake off the jitters from the dream he had just woken up from. Was that a nightmare or a message, he wondered as exited the Egyptian Wing. Are the gods sending me a message? Putting these thoughts aside, he headed to escalator. Perhaps seeing the city from the roof would clear his head.

"SMALL PHARAOH!"

Ahkmenrah was halfway up the escalator when he saw Lancelot's shiny armor and flowing hair chasing him.

Great! Ahkmenrah skipped a couple of steps and hurried down the hallways to the door labeled Maintenance Only.

The clanking of Lancelot's armor drew closer and Ahkmenrah struggled in the drapes of his clothes. "Go away!" He shouted over his shoulder at the knight. Reaching the door he wiggled handle and it hardly budged. "Fantastic!" Ahkmenrah prepared for impact from Lancelot's body, but the knight swung around and grinned.

"Let me be of assistance." Lancelot stuck his sword into the crack between the door and the door frame and the with a clang the door swung open. "What would you do without me?"

"C'mon," Ahkmenrah grabbed Lancelot's wrist and led him up the metal stairs to another (luckily unlocked) door and out onto the museum roof.

"Quit following me around, Lance," Ahkmenrah stopped and crossed his arms when they reached the roof. "I don't need yours or anyone else's protection. In case you didn't notice, I'm already dead."

"Really," Lancelot grinned mischievously. "How sure are you about that?"

"Perfectly sure."

Lancelot raised an eyebrow in disbelief but didn't push the question. "Regardless, I owe you my life because I nearly killed you and your friends in my folly. It's on my knight's honor to protect you and your family."

Ahkmenrah sighed. He could understand Lancelot's plight and need to redeem himself from the last time they stood on a roof together, yet a tiny part of him deep down felt disappointed for some reason. A reason he denied. A part that maybe hoped Lancelot cared about him especially.

"Fine, you can guard me and my family, but there is no need for you to accompany me everywhere."

Ahkmenrah turned away from the knight and began to walk away, but in the midst of thinking and attempting to appear as kingly as possible to impress the knight, he tripped on a vent and fell. Except he never hit the ground because Lancelot caught him by his robes and waist.

"Are you sure you don't need me?" Lancelot teased.

Ahkmenrah blushed out of embarrassment and stormed off without speaking or looking at Lancelot who didn't follow him this time.


End file.
